ORRVILLE — The Ohio Tax Credit Authority awarded Venture Products Inc. a job creation tax credit on an expansion project expected to create 121 jobs, $6.1 million in new payroll and a $5.5 million investment for a 135,000-square foot facility.

The tax credit board approved a 1.526 percent job tax credit at its Monday meeting, and the value of it is estimated to be $700,000 over an eight-year period. It will also retain $10.2 million in payroll.

Venture Products recently announced the launching of a new product line, Tilmor, a smaller-sized tractor with an assortment of implements for smaller operations. The company, overall, has been on a growth trajectory.

Increased demand for the Ventrac articulating and oscillating tractors, and its attachments for mowing, plowing, sweeping and more, and new products is fueling the expansion, President and Chief Operating Officer Randy Kitzmiller stated in a news release.

"Venture Products is creating high-skill, high-wage manufacturing jobs in Wayne County, said Shawn Starlin project manager of the Wayne Economic Development Council. "The Job Creation Tax Credit awarded to the company will allow them to sustainably manage a period of rapid growth."

Handwerk said he has appreciated how company leaders have handled the expansion of the campus. "They have a perfect plan. I’m just happy for them," he added.

The city sold some land to Venture Products in July to help with the expansion project. Council approved selling 3-plus acres of land in the Orrville Technology Park to the parent company of Venture Products for $10,000 an acre, which was used for a parking lot. It was not an ideal parcel to develop.

"Along with our partners at JobsOhio and Wayne Economic Development Council, we welcome Venture Products’ expansion, which positions Orrville as its global headquarters and the center of all operations," said Team NEO CEO Bill Koehler.

Team NEO, JobsOhio, Wayne Economic Development Council and Orrville officials worked together on the tax incentive agreement, and Jeff Dimos, vice president of finance and operations for Venture Products was impressed with what they were able to accomplish.

"They did a phenomenal job in a short window" of working together collaboratively to get the project before the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, Dimos said. "That’s pretty cool."

"Venture Products’ growth in Orrville and Wayne County is well-deserved," said Mike Hedberg, manager of The Office of Orrville Economic Development. "The company places great emphasis on delivering a quality product to its global customers. Venture’s exceptional leadership and commitment to innovation have played, and will continue to play, a key role in the company’s success."

CEO Dallas Steiner said previously he and his six brothers started the Steiner Corp., which they later sold the turf side of the business, and a group of employees purchased agricultural side, which later became Venture Products. This was an outgrowth of what they learned at home.

The Steiner brothers grew up on the family farm in the Kidron area, and Dallas Steiner said his father, Marvin, was a genius with steel. The boys learned to weld, make and repair farming equipment. Soon, they were doing custom work for other farmers and even had a mobile sawmill they would take from farm to farm.

The creativity, problem-solving and innovative skills the brothers learned growing up have been put to use in the development of the Tilmor brand.

Reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at 330-287-1639 or bwarren@the-daily-record.com. He is @BobbyWarrenTDR on Twitter.